I am the registered owner of a freehold residence in Cookley yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Cookley and has limited impact for conveyancing in Cookley but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

I happen to be the sole beneficiary of my late grandmother’s will and I have everything in my name now, including the house in Cookley. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in August. I want to move. I understand that there is a CML 6 month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship will be considered the same way as though I had purchased the property in August. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be impacted by that. Some banks would take a practical view as this clause is chiefly there to pick up on subsales or the quick reselling of properties.

We had selected conveyancers based in Cookley on the Virgin Money solicitor panel. They have just billed me a separate charge for dealing with the Virgin Money mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Virgin Money?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer can charge a fee for this. This fee is not set by Virgin Money but by your Cookley conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the Virgin Money panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but many practices include it on their overall fee.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Leeds Building Society. Cookley conveyancing solicitors are selected. How long does it take for Leeds Building Society to issue the offer to the property lawyer?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Leeds Building Society completed the valuation? Have you advised Leeds Building Society as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

Me and my brother purchased a terraced Edwardian house in Cookley. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Chelsea Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Cookley and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.

How does conveyancing in Cookley differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Cookley come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because developers in Cookley tend to acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Cookley or who has acted in the same development.

I have just started marketing my 2 bed apartment in Cookley. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, however I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the maintenance contribution as you normally would as all ground rent and maintenance payments will be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

Cookley Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

Does the lease include onerous restrictions? It would be prudent to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they will either make living at the property much easier or much more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you will be in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Ask other people if they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and precisely what it includes. How much is the annual service fee and ground rent?